don't think a fellow ever really learns much at the dummy. It's dumping
a chap in real playing that shows you what's wanted. Don't you think so,
Hat?"

"Dummy practice is a good thing," answered Williams morosely.

He sat tilted back on the chair, hands in pockets, staring at the floor.
He seemed a gloomy sort of fellow, Steve thought, and was relieved when
Williams added: "Guess I'll run over to Johnny's for a minute," and,
muttering something about being glad to have met the visitor, found a
cap and wandered out.

"I suppose," said Steve, when the door had closed, "it's necessary for a
fellow to learn how to tackle, but it seems to me that if you aren't
awfully good at it you might get a chance to show what you can do
besides that."

"I guess I don't quite understand what you mean," responded Andy.

"I mean that if I can't tackle the dummy well enough to please Marvin,"
answered Steve a trifle bitterly, "I do as well as lots of other
fellows, and--and it doesn't seem fair to keep me back just for that.
Lots of fellows have been taken on to the second squad that can't play
as well as I can, Miller."

"Oh! I see." Andy's eyes narrowed a little and he looked at Steve more
intently. "You mean that you aren't getting a fair show, Edwards?"

"It doesn't seem so to me. I played with my high school team for two
years at left end and--and did pretty well. Of course, I don't say that
I'm as good as some of the fellows here, but I do think that I'm as good
as--as a lot of them; and a heap better than three or four that have
gone to the second squad lately. I don't get a chance to show what I can
do where I am now, Miller. Marvin doesn't even let me into signal drill
more than half the time, and then he puts me at half or tackle and I've
never played either of those places. And when I told him so the other
day he just laughed and said that one place was as good as another on
the third! And he rags me every day about my tackling and--and I don't
think it's fair! If he will give me a chance I'll pick up tackling all
right. You say yourself that a fellow learns it more from playing than
from dummy work."

"So I did," said Andy thoughtfully. Then, after a moment: "Look here,
Edwards, I think you've got a wrong idea in your head. If Marvin isn't
satisfied with your tackling, it's because you don't do it right.
Marvin's a good man and he knows football. Now, if you expect to play
end you ought to know how to tackle, Edwards. W